Advancing International Patent Protection

Director of the USPTO, Michelle Lee, who recently signed 3 MoU to advance international patent protection.

USPTO Director & Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property, Michelle Lee.

A USPTO delegation led by Michelle Lee – Director of the USPTO – convened in Geneva, Switzerland last week at an annual governance meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization.

While there, Ms. Lee signed three separate Memorandums of Understanding with the:

  1. European Patent Office (EPO)
  2. Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS)
  3. Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOP)

Regarding the agreements, Ms. Lee stated:

“These three Memorandums of Understanding mark a significant milestone of achievement in patent cooperation between our offices. They will promote consistency in practices and spur greater innovation.”

Overall, this is a positive step forward for international patent protection, easing the process of protecting clients’ domestic patents abroad.

For more details on this development, see the full press release from the USPTO.